Latch



May 2, 1939. e. E. ROEDDING LATCH Filed Nov. 8, .1957

. m AN w l v Mm a ATTORNEYS.

Patented Ma a,- 1939 umrso STATES PATENT OFFICE LATCH Gordon E. Roedding, Grand Rapids, Micli., as-

signor to Grand Rapids Brass Company, Grand Rapids, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application November 8, 1937, Serial No. 17 3273 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to latches, particularly such as are especially adapted for'latching the closures of refrigerators and the like; and its object is to provide such a latch having im- 5 proved means for locking its latch bolt against retraction; and further, to provide in such a latch a turnably mounted handle for operating the latch bolt and improved means for locking the handle in a position preventing retraction of said 1 bolt; and further, to provide in such a latch animproved latch bolt; and further, to provide in I such a latch improved means for ,urging the latch bolt into, and holding the same in, its operative latching, position; and further, to provide in such 15 a latch'improved means for urging the-latch bolt into and holding the same in, its retracted positlon; I

These and any other objects hereinafter appearing are attained by, and the invention finds g 'preferable embodiment in, the illustrative latch structure particularly described in the body of this specification'and illustrated by the accom panying'drawing, in which:- g

- shown in like section;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view, similar to Figure 2, of certain parts of the latch structure in another position in which the latch bolt is retracted. v

In the casing l,mounted as by screws2 on the M 40 face of the refrigerators closure 3; thelever latch bolt 4 is fulcrumed on the pivot pin extending therethrough and through openingsin the spaced forward end portions 1' of the casing, the inner or rearward arm 8 of this bolt having on its for- 45 ward edge a hook portion 9 latchingly engaging the hook portion ll] of a suitable keeper H mounted as by screws l2 on the face of the jamb l3 of the refrigerator.

In the casings horizontal slide bearing l4 the I 50 hollow member I5 is urged forwardly (toward the bolt 4) by a spring l6 pressing between the plug I! (removably held in said bearing as by aset screw l8) and the head I!) of a rod 20 slidable in a bearing 2| in the plug, this head abutting on 55 the bottom of the chamber 22 of said member 15,

open and the bolt '4 and member 23 being in the A member or toggle arm 23 turnably seats at its rear end in a notch bearing 24 in the forward end of member l5 and at its forward end in a notch bearing or toggle joint 25 in theiearward edge ofthe bolts arm 8 opposite its hook portion 9. It 5 will be seen that in Figure 2 the spring t5 urges the latch bolt forwardly toward its engagement with the keeper and yieldingly holds the same therein.

The manually operated lever handle 264s fulcrumed in the casing on a pivot pin 21 extending therethrough and'through the spaced sides I of the forward end of the casing and has a forward arm 28. When the other (the rearward) arm 29 of this lever handle is grasped and drawn outwardly to open the closure, it s forward arm 28 is brought into engagement withthe forwa'rd or outer arm 30 of the latch bolt (1; e.,-the roll 3! desirably mounted thereon), so that as, the handles arm 29 is drawn outwardlyfthe latch bolts inner or rearward arm 8 is swung rearwardly out of engagement with the keeper.

This inner arm 8 of the bolt and the member 23 form a toggle so that when the parts are in the-position shown in Figure 2, in 'which'the knuckle or toggle joint is inwardly of the direct line which extends between the notch 24 of member l5 and the bolts fulcrum 5, the spring I 6 strongly urges the bolt into its operative position engaging the keeper; but as the handles arm 30 29 is drawn outwardly, its forward arm 28 ,engaging the bolts forward or oiiter arm 30 (j. e., its roll 3|) and turning its other (i. e., its rearward or inner arm 8) rearwardly, brings the toggle joint 25 outwardly, and when this toggle joint slightly passes said line to break the. toggle, the spring l6-acts to turn the bolt to: the position shown in Figure 3 in which thebolt is held retracted by this spring. v

- When the handle is released (the'closure being position seen in Figure 3), theslamming' of' the closure shut causes the inner edge 32 of the bolts forward or outer arm 30 to strike the outer surface 33 of the keeper thustu'rning the bolts rearward or inner arm 8 inwardly (i. e.', toward the face of the closure) and when-the togglejoint 25 passes inwardlyof said line (i. e., toward the closure) thus breaking the toggle, the spring l6 urges the bolts arm Bforwardly an returns the bolt to its operative engagement with the keeper shown in Figure 2.

In the closing movement of the closure the inclined surfaces 34, 35 of the keeper and bolt slidabiy engage compressing the spring l5, and the in said position by inserting the bolt of a suit;-

able padlock (not shown) through the opening 40 in the forward or outer arm 30 of the latch bolt 4 to engage the outer edge of. the forward arm 28 of the handle,.seating in its notch 4|. The lockis bolt thus holds the lever latch bolt 4 against turning on its fulcrum 5.

Additional means are shown for holding this latch bolt against retraction even though the bolt of the padlock or the upper end of arm 30 of the latch bolt'be broken, such means comprising a stop 42 carried by a movable member, as the 29 of the handle 26, when locked in a the position seen in Figure 2.

If a tool, as a bar or screw driver, be inserted to force the arm8 of the latch bolt 4 rearwardly, the rear end 43 of the slidable rod 20 will almost immediately strike the stop 42 on the handles rear arm 29. This handle is locked in the .position seen .in this view by any-suitable locking means The particular locking nieans illustrated at the right hand side of Figures 1 and 2 (and being no part of the present invention but which may be adopted for thispurpose) comprises a hollow post 44 carried by the latch casing having a cylinder portion 45 with a bearing in which a barrel 4! is turnable by a suitable key inserted in the locks key hole 48. This barrel- :has on its inner end an eccentrical lug 4! engaging in the transverse notch of this lock's bolt it so that, when the barrel is turned by said key to one position said lug slidesw the lockbolt to the position shown in solid lines in Figure 2 releasing the lever handle; but when the tumbler is turned from its said position it slides this bolt forwardly to the position indicated in broken lines in said.view, in which its forward end 52 enout in theclaims, is not to be limited to or by 1 details of construction and arrangement of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated handle turnable in engagement .-with I by the drawing or hereinbefore described. v

I claim:

1. A latch structure comprising: a latch bolt movable to and from its: operative position engaging its keeper; 9. pivotally mounted operating tn e'bolt to retract the same, the handle and the bolt having portions mutually registering in the operative position of the bolt'and adapted to receive means for locking the handle and the bolt against relaotally mounted in the "casing," turnable to and 7 from operative position engaging its keeper and .member forwardly and thereby alternately urging the bolt into and holding the same in its uperative and retracted positions respectively; an

'for turning the toggle arm reversely to break the toggle against the pressure of the spring so that the bolt and toggle arm may be returned by the spring to their initial positions wherein the bolt operatively engages the keeper.

3. A latch structure for refrigerators and the like, comprising: a latch casing; a latch bolt pivotally mounted in the turnable to and from operative position engaging its keeper and having a bearing in its rearward edge; a.member slidable in the casing toward and'from the bolt and having a bearing in its forward end; a toggle arm turnable at its forward and rearward bolt forming a toggle; a .spring pressing said member forwardly and thereby alternately urging the bolt into and holding the same in its operative and retracted positions respectively;

an operating handle pivotally -mounted in the c s g and turnable in engagement with. the bolt to retract the same and turn the toggle arm to ,break the toggle against the pressure of the spring; a stop on the body with which the bolt engages in the closing movement of the closure for turning the toggle arm reversely to break the toggle against the pressure of the spring so that the bolt and toggle arm may be returned by the spring to their initial positions wherein the bolt operatively engages the keeper; 9. spring pressing between the casing and the handle for urging the handle to its position wherein the bolt engages the keeper.

4. A latch structure comprising: a'latch casing having a slide bearing with a plug in its rear end having a slide bearing therethrough; a latch bolt pivotally mounted in the casing turnable t0 operative position and to retracted position and having a bearing in its rear edge; a-hollow member slidable in the first mentioned bearing toward and from the bolt and having a' bearing in its forward end; va toggle arm turnable at its ends in the bearings and with the bolt forming a toggle; a rod slidable in the second mentioned bearing toward and from the bolt and having" a head in the hollow member and a projecting rear end; a spring pressing between said head and the plug for urging the hollow member and the rod forwardly and thereby alternately urging the bolt to its said positions re- .ends in the bearings respectively, and with the spectively; an operating handle having a-stop pivotally mounted in the casing and turnable outwardly in engagement with the bolt to retract the same andto turn the toggle arm against the pressure of the spring to break the toggle; means for turning the toggle arm reversely to break the wtoggle against the pressure of the spring sothat the bolt and toggle arm may be returned by the spring to their initial position wherein the bolt is turned to operative position, said stop being in the line of the rods sliding movement in the handles inwardly turned position wherein the bolt is in its operative position and the rear end of the rod being in such close proximity to the 'stopas to prevent retraction of the bolt while the handle remains in its said inwardly turned position.

GORDON E. ROEDDING; 

